The bureaucratic superiority complex can be a wonder to behold. The rest of us, when asked a perfectly innocent question, would politely answer and get on with our day. For a member of the FIA, though, it was an opportunity to unleash a torrent of verbal and physical abuse. A Norwegian of Pakistani origin was waiting for a flight back home at the Islamabad airport when she and her two daughters made the mistake of asking an FIA official why there was no toilet paper in the rest rooms. Instead of just saying she would look into it or direct the passengers to another member of staff, the official gave a rude response and was caught on video physically assaulting the passengers, threatening them that they would not be allowed to board their flight and even tearing up their boarding passes. She held the passengers by their hair and then had the temerity to fill an FIR against the passengers, claiming that they were the ones who had originally slapped her. A second, clearer video was leaked showing that it was indeed the FIA official who first reacted violently.
But, as the video shows, it is not just one official who needs to be punished. At least two other officials – an FIA officer and a constable – can be seen in the video standing by idly as the passengers are assaulted. They are equally culpable for allowing a colleague to act in such a high-handed manner. Now that the video has gone viral, at least the government is taking note of the matter and the interior minister has demanded a report into the incident. He has also suspended the FIA official in question. Such reports, however, tend either never to be written or implemented. All Pakistanis have stories of having to deal with heavy-handed bureaucrats and police officers who do not realise that they are meant to be servants of the public and not their masters. While these officials do need to be prosecuted and punished, that needs to be accompanied by a change in the bureaucratic mindset. It should go without saying that assault is not on the list of appropriate responses on being asked about supplies at an airport bathroom.